It started with a topic that’s readily on watch collectors’ minds over the past few years in particular – a topic we even discussed on a recent podcast: watch prices are climbing and pricing younger collectors out of the hobby. Jonathan Chan, a collector himself and co-founder of The Horology Society (a Hong-Kong based global collector community), decided to create the brand he wanted to see in the market. After two years of conceptualization, research, development, and prototyping, he founded Earthen Company in 2025 with a mission to democratize watches with a focus on high-tech ceramic and a goal to keep price tags below $1,000.
The brand’s inaugural offering, the Summit Collection, presented a mix of old and new, past and present with dichotomy of vintage pilot and field watch design codes rendered in modern ceramic. Over the past year, Earthen Company’s offerings have continued to expand with an evolution of the original line called the Summit Mark II and a totally new addition with the Aventurine Collection. The Summit MK II refined the composition of the collection that started it all. It retained the original proportions and signature ceramic build while upgrading the finer details like dial symmetry and legibility. Now, we get the latest additions to the MK II lineup with a trio of new colors.
As a journalist in this industry for the better part of almost 15 years, I’m often a bit underwhelmed when the headline of a new release is simply a new colorway. However, when it comes to ceramic, new color additions aren’t just about aesthetics. Defining new hues in this particular material is no small feat – not only to achieve them in the first place but also to maintain them consistently through a serial production. It’s a careful and nuanced science to balance factors like the pigments themselves, the material’s structural integrity, and various steps like temperature treating to achieve something just right.
Earthen Company has put in the legwork, and, for the first time, the brand is spanning beyond black and white ceramic and into colors. The brand is no stranger to color in its bold rubber straps, but this full color treatment takes things a step further and really gives the popular collection a fresh personality. The new shades are called Dune Devil, Glade, and Apres Bleu.
The first is the warmest of the bunch, featuring a beige ceramic case with orange accents that extend to the crown and the matching rubber insert around the dial. This look is topped off with both orange and dark brown FKM rubber straps depending on whether you want a brighter and sportier look or a more subdued one. Glade presents a fun green option with another surprise in store: a full-lume dial. This glowing green centerpiece is housed in a dark green ceramic case with a touch of brightness echoing the dial in the mint-green on the crown. The look is complete with a monochromatic green FKM rubber strap or a more neutral grey one. Lastly, we have a classic blue iteration with a navy ceramic case and color-matched dial along with soft cream accents. A khaki FKM rubber strap brings out the hands and hour markers while the navy strap keeps things cohesive with the monochromatic vibe.
All three models join Earthen Company’s permanent collection. They are not limited editions, but production is inherently limited by capacity. Of course, the brand remains true to its initial mission with accessible pricing at $899 each. For more information, head over directly to Earthen Company.
The post The Science of Colored Ceramic Through Three New Hues in Earthen Company’s Summit MK II appeared first on Worn & Wound.
